Latest news with #universalbasicincome
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
As AI replaces workers, China could consider universal basic income
It may seem far-fetched to suggest that China should consider implementing a universal basic income at this time, as authorities appear to be unenthusiastic about the idea. In the past, Chinese officials have rejected proposals to distribute cash to households, even when many families were clearly in need of support. Advertisement But while the term universal basic income has yet to appear in any official Chinese policy documents, it may become less foreign in the coming years because of the increasing replacement of entry-level jobs by machines. Advances in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are expected to render many traditional labour roles obsolete. For example, the demand for human translators may diminish as machine translation improves, while manual labour in sorting goods on assembly lines is also on the decline. In fact, many leading Chinese manufacturers are developing 'dark factories' to reduce reliance on human labour. While new technologies will create new job opportunities, these roles are often unsuitable for workers displaced from traditional sectors. The pace at which old jobs are eliminated also outstrips the creation of new ones, which could lead to significant structural unemployment. An autonomous-driving car performs a road test in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. Photo: Xinhua If driverless taxis become the norm, millions of people could find themselves at risk of losing their jobs. And it is safe to say not many of them can transition to roles in new demand, such as data scientists.
Independent Singapore
17-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton says the age of AI is a great time to be a plumber
As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the job market, Geoffrey Hinton, the godfather of AI known for his work on neural networks, said now is a great time to become a plumber, as technology will eventually 'get to be better than us at everything.' He noted that while this is the case, it's going to be a long time before AI becomes good at physical manipulation, as reported by Business Insider. This comes as Gen Z turns to blue-collar jobs amid the brutal job market. Last year, Gen Z have reportedly been pursuing 'traditional trades' like welding, plumbing, and carpentry instead of going to university or working in desk jobs. According to Mr Hinton, he would be 'terrified' to work as a paralegal or in a call centre, as AI is set to replace most mundane intellectual work. He noted that to have an AI-proof job, a person would need to be 'very skilled'. He also raised concerns about the unhappiness that comes with mass job displacement. Even with a universal basic income, a solution he believes could help narrow the wealth gap as AI takes over mundane jobs, he said, people would lose a sense of purpose without a job. Mr Hinton said AI is already being used to do the kind of work that fresh graduates used to do. While some fields, such as healthcare, may still require additional personnel despite the use of AI tools, for many, the technology will simply mean 'mass firings,' as one person with an AI assistant can now perform the work of 10. /TISG Read also: ITE grad says he only earned $1.6K/month in Singapore but now makes $100K/year in Australia 'just as a simple plumber'
